Are we willing to sacrifice medals for a greater good?

Sport is the very definition of a results business but success can be measured in more ways than first, second or third, writes Brendan O’Brien. 

Mick McCarthy was in flying form this week.

His Ipswich Town side had just put some distance between itself and the abyss that would be League One football with a 3-0 defeat of Wigan Athletic when the former Republic of Ireland player and manager reflected on what had been a rare chance to answer those fans who had been barracking him and his struggling team for months with a rare three points.